No compromise on transparency in wheat procurement: Sindh Minister

Sindh Minister for Food Makhdoom Mehboob-uz-Zaman has said delays in wheat procurement could be tolerated, but corruption and lack of transparency would not be accepted under any circumstances

KARACHI, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th May, 2026) Sindh Minister for food Makhdoom Mehboob-uz-Zaman has said delays in wheat procurement could be tolerated, but corruption and lack of transparency would not be accepted under any circumstances.

He expressed these views while chairing a high-level meeting of the Food Department to review policy decisions and measures aimed at making the wheat procurement campaign transparent, effective and farmer-friendly, according to a news release on Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by senior officials, including the Secretary Food Sindh and divisional commissioners, where a detailed briefing was given on the ongoing procurement process across various districts.

Officials informed the meeting that the campaign was continuing across the province, though the pace remained temporarily slow due to verification issues in the digital payment system. So far, around 500,000 wheat bags have been procured, with efforts underway to accelerate the process.

The minister directed that district administration officials must ensure their presence at procurement centres to maintain transparency and restore farmers’ confidence.

Referring to policy measures, he said the Sindh government had provided subsidies and facilities to Hari Card holders to ensure direct benefits to growers, adding that farmers who do not supply wheat to the government would not be eligible for future subsidies.

Mehboob-uz-Zaman also ordered strict legal action against those involved in wheat hoarding, directing commissioners to enforce a zero-tolerance policy in their respective divisions in coordination with anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies.

He further revealed that references had already been sent against corrupt officials to anti-corruption authorities, while several officers involved in malpractice had been dismissed from service, with more actions under consideration.

Reaffirming the government’s stance, the minister said all available resources were being utilized to ensure a transparent and organized procurement campaign, stressing that no irregularity or mismanagement would be tolerated at any level.